The Living Room (12 page)

“Well, it’s been a while since I woke up in this state,” he teased, looking under the sheets. “I guess all this rest is giving me some strength back.”

Claire playfully slapped his arm, appreciating his wit. “Seriously, Daniel, how do you feel right now?”

“I feel pretty good, actually. Still tired but not as warm. I think I could eat something.”

His voice sounded much stronger than it had for the past couple of days. His eyes showed more life behind them.

“There’s not much food here, unfortunately, but are you okay to travel? Dr. Abrams wanted to see us again this week. We could go just for a quick bite and visit.”

“Ah, hospital food. Yeah, I guess it won’t hurt me.”

Claire was pleasantly surprised at his mood and glad to hear that his humor remained intact.

Their banter was lively on the drive to breakfast. Claire was alert to his noticeably absent cough. She looked over at him often. In the passenger seat, he studied the landscape and every detail as they maneuvered the roads. He was not like the ill figure she had been witnessing before. Nevertheless, she drove eagerly, anxious to arrive at the hospital as quickly as possible.

Daniel required no help to rise from her humble transportation. He got out first and walked around to take her inside by the hand. He still appeared a little delicate, but there was strength in his posture that she hadn’t seen for a week.

“You just have a seat and relax. I’ll fetch us some food and let the doctor know we’re here.”

Food was the last thing on her mind. She raced down the hallway to find her superior. Daniel sat in the bed and stared out the window, wondering what would become of him, and when he could return to his own bed.

“Daniel? Are you okay?”

He turned to see a boy in the doorway, a most pleasant surprise. Ryan stood with his parents, holding a bag packed with his belongings.

“Hey, buddy, how are you?” His voice still a little weak.

Ryan moved closer to Daniel. “Are you going to be okay? I heard you got sick.”

Daniel took a long pause to check him out, barely believing his strength in stature. There was no body cast, and he watched as the boy confidently set the bag down next to him.

“Yeah, I’m going to be just fine. You know how it is. I’m just in for a few more tests, and then I’m headed back home.” He tried to comfort his noticeably concerned friend.

“Well, I’m glad I got to see you again. I wanted to say thanks.”

“Hey, no problem. You can come out and stay anytime.”

Ryan lowered his gaze to the floor for an almost eerie pause before facing Daniel, “No. I mean thanks. For
everything
you did.”

A moment went by. Their gazes locked on each other with a silent understanding connecting them. Daniel wondered how the boy knew, or if he was still drained and confused. He didn’t ask any questions and smiled.

Bending down, Ryan picked up his bag to show off the newfound strength in his back. He smiled and left the room to rejoin his parents.

Daniel didn’t have much time to ponder the reunion before Claire and the doctor entered the room. She had given Dr. Abrams a hopeful update on Daniel’s condition this morning, but the doctor wanted to see it with his own eyes.

“Good morning, Doctor! What’s the special? Will you be taking my order today?”

The two ignored Daniel’s humor, and the doctor began a series of visual inspections. He then used two fingers from each hand to press around into Daniel’s neck and throat. Dr. Abrams was the first one to point out how much the lump appeared to have subsided.

He seemed more puzzled each time he touched his patient. Claire stared at his face in both concern and amusement.

“I’m ordering a whole new series of tests. I want A to Z on this one. I’m sorry, Mr. Clay, but I need you to hold off on food for a couple of hours.”

Daniel was disappointed but easily comforted by a smile from his nurse. He didn’t pay much attention to the conversation but could feel hope underlying it.

It was a long day filled with a progression of tests, each one leading to a request for another by the doctor. Finally, he said, “Mr. Clay, I’m sorry, but I need to keep you here until tomorrow. There is something going on that I have no answers for yet.”

Another night in the hospital would be frustrating for him, as he was now feeling better. He was able to converse with Claire and share more feelings, both verbally and physically. She was too afraid of disappointment to discuss his health but enjoyed at least talking about what they would be doing together in the future, regardless of the amount of time it would last.

He approached the difficult subject he had left back in the restaurant during their previous date: “You remember before, when I talked about New York? This is a beautiful place, Claire, and I know there are a lot of people you help here, but there are a lot of people in New York too. Just think about it. You know I have to return as soon as I can now, but I know I can’t go without you.”

It was only a night ago that she had thought this opportunity for her life had passed. She had no intention of letting it slip away now.

“So, what about the house?”

He gripped her hands tightly and kissed both of them.

“I’m not selling it anymore.”

He had made plans for it in his mind only moments before the conversation began.

Chapter 13

The couple shared a room in her ward and an evening of adolescent-intended board games that a local gift store had generously donated to the hospital. They sat eating their breakfast together after another good evening of rest and impatiently awaited the arrival of Dr. Abrams.

He came into the room with a sober expression that stopped Claire from enjoying the meal. Daniel didn’t appear to notice. Dr. Abrams approached Claire and glanced at Daniel expressionlessly.

Claire took the medical charts from her superior’s hand and read through the test results. Daniel tried to read her easier-to-comprehend facial expressions.

At first she appeared confused but then grinned slightly while flipping the pages, causing her patient to intervene.

“Well, what does it say?”

“They’re normal! Well, not normal, but in range. Are you sure about this?”

The once-confident doctor appeared totally lost in self-doubt. “I’m not sure of anything anymore.”

“Should we run them again?” she suggested.

“It’s already been ordered. Mr. Clay, I’m not sure what to tell you. We’re going to need a little more blood and some samples, but you can go home afterwards, if you’re more comfortable there, to wait for the results.”

This pleased Daniel and his facial expression communicated his feelings to Claire.

“So, what’s going on with that house of yours?” the doctor asked.

Daniel stared back, fearful that his secret had been discovered or revealed by another patient.

“What do you mean?” he replied cautiously.

“I mean, if it’s for sale, my sister is a realtor and maybe she can help.”

Daniel felt relief flow through his entire body. His secret was still safe. He nodded to the doctor as he left. To Claire he announced, “I just want to go home and
really
share the bed together.”

She smiled with approval but continued to reread the charts.

It was a celebratory drive back to the house. The unscheduled testing had taken longer than expected. It was getting late but was still light enough for them to enjoy a walk to the water before dinner.

They stood together side by side with their toes nearing the water’s edge, staring out just feet from where they had shared their first kiss.

“I want to come back with you,” she whispered.

“I wasn’t leaving without you.”

Emotional fatigue hit them both at once and they turned to hold each other up, trying also to hold themselves together. Their foreheads pressed together and painless tears of bliss ran down their cheeks. They embraced for a few minutes and then walked back to the house, supporting each other for the short journey. They skipped dinner. Being together in bed was all that they both hungered for, and they collapsed in unison on the sheets.

Their hands wandered unrestricted across each other until the two bodies became one again. There was no sense of time, no recognition of insecurities, and no concern about performance. It was passion in its purest form, shared physically by two people in love, and not duplicated often enough in most relationships.

Depleted of energy, they both rolled to one side. Claire nestled her back into his chest. As he wrapped his arms around her physique, they serenely descended into dreamless sleep.

They were both up before a full sunrise and sat talking in the kitchen about the mutual decision to return to New York together. They had managed to get just enough sleep to start the planning process. Daniel assured her that he would use his many resources to help ease what would otherwise be an overwhelming task of relocation.

“Can you call Dr. Abrams and ask him if we could meet his sister at the hospital this week?”

“I’m sure she’d come to the house,” Claire replied.

“Yeah, but I’d rather meet with her there. That way I can thank him for everything.”

Daniel felt guilty over abandoning Mrs. Lipton as his realtor but would stop by the hardware store on his next trip to town to explain the change in circumstances, and leave her a generous compensation for her time.

Meanwhile, Claire made numerous pages of notes and checklists for the things that needed to be done before she could imagine herself on a plane crossing the globe. Daniel helped shorten the lists with the reassurance that they would make a few trips back to manage the whole endeavor. This settled her nerves.

After a long session of planning with Claire, he picked up the phone.

“Hello, Nancy!”

“Daniel! Are you home?” Her voice emitted excitement.

“Not yet, but that’s what I’m calling for. Could I get you to do me a favor?”

“That’s what I’m here for. What do you need?”

“Could you make the flight arrangements for me? Just give me a couple of days to clean things up around here, and give me a call back with the flight details.”

“Of course. First class with a window?” she confirmed, already making the note in the organizer on her desk.

“Yeah, the window seat and the one next to it.”

Possibly misled by a bad connection, she asked him to repeat his instruction. “Sorry, Daniel, did you say you wanted two seats?”

“Yes, please, and tell Art thanks.”

Daniel hung up and walked into the bedroom to find Claire sitting on the bed.

“Nancy’s going to make the arrangements and call me back. Is everything okay?”

She expressed her feelings without a word, taking his face in her hands and kissing him deeply.

Nancy was puzzled as she hung up, but it only took a moment to register. She grinned and picked up the phone to make the necessary bookings.

“Was that Daniel?” Art shouted as he walked out from behind a badly cluttered desk. He had tried his best to keep Daniel’s accounts in order, but after his move upstairs, he left behind the skills he’d once had.

“Yes, Mr. Rothschild. He’ll be back by the end of the week. I’m just booking the flight now.”

This seemed to comfort him a little. He walked back toward the mess he now had to clean up before Daniel’s return.

“Oh and he’s booked two seats. I guess he’s bringing
somebody
back with him.” She proceeded with her arrangements.

Art turned to make sure he had heard her correctly. She peeked up at him with a smile to confirm.

He walked into the office, trying to mask his delight with sternness, and closed the door. Once alone, his satisfaction showed. He stood rocking back and forth and put his hands in his pockets, proud of his pupil and of himself for giving such good advice.

The house Claire lived in, inherited from her mother, was cleaned out after a few days of hard work and favors that she had called in from many co-workers—who were all willing to help and proud to have Claire as their friend. She had very few belongings other than the most common furniture, most of which would be stored in Brenda’s basement.

Claire could return soon to clean up the rest and allow herself some time to decide what to do with the property. Selling it didn’t sit well with her and renting it was always an option, but there was no urgency. The item ranked low on the redrafted checklist she carried in her purse.

They arrived at the hospital to give Brenda her spare key and meet with Dr. Abrams’ sister, who was running a little late.

“She should be here any minute. How are you feeling?” The doctor was still awestruck by Daniel’s recovery.

“I feel great. Thanks for everything, Doctor.”

Dr. Abrams acknowledged the appreciation but couldn’t take responsibility for something he didn’t understand.

“Sorry I’m late.” This woman’s demeanor and attire appeared more professional than Mrs. Lipton’s eccentric personality and outfits.

“I’ll leave you guys to talk. All the best, Mr. Clay. Take good care of our Claire.” The doctor smiled at her for the first time since they had been working together.

“Actually, this will just take a second, and it may require you to be present,” Daniel announced before the doctor could make his exit.

Everyone in the room was confused by Daniel’s comment, including Brenda, who had also been about to leave.

“I’m not selling the house. Instead, I’d like to sign it over to the hospital.”

Claire audibly gasped for breath and took his arm. In shock, she struggled to breathe normally.

“It’s just my way of saying thanks. You can keep the room open for the children, or sell it and put the money into this place. Whatever you want to do, it’s your call. Just tell me where to sign,” he added to the realtor.

Brenda realized quickly that Claire had been given no prior idea that this was part of the relocation plan. They smiled at each other, and then Brenda showed real emotion publicly for the first time. She straightened her uniform as if in the presence of royalty.

“You’re a real gentleman, Daniel.” She held back a tear and respectfully left the room.

“Are you sure about this, Mr. Clay?” the doctor inquired.

“Yes, it’s what I want to do.”

Trying to cover his amazement, the doctor said, “Let’s go to my office so I can check what measures are necessary for this to take place.”

As they all left the room together, Claire held on tightly to Daniel’s arm.